Device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore oil drilling operations

ABSTRACT

A floatable tube and skirt assembly encircling an offshore oil drilling rig for collecting oil released by leakage during the drilling operation, and movable between an operative oilconfining position and an inoperative position in noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft. The tube is connected to the rig structure by telescopically extensible arms, there being (in one embodiment) a plurality of floatable lift canisters connected to said arms and tube, each canister having perforated walls and an inner inflatable bag, an air pump on the rig being connected to said canisters and said tube. When all the canister bags and the tube are deflated, they will sink to an inoperative position, pivotally guided inwardly to that position by said telescopic arms, said arms also serving to guide the tube into its operative floating position. A drawstring arrangement contracts the skirt into compact form against the tube, in noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft.

United States Patent [111 3,5

[72] Inventor Louis Missud 3,476,246 11/1969 Dahan...-.. 6l/l X 61-15 43rd Ave., Woodside, NY. 3,499,290 3/1970 Smith 61/] 11377 Primary Examiner-Jacob Shapiro [21] Appl' 829865 Anorney--Emanuel R. Posnack [22] Filed June 3, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 17, 1971 ABSTRACT: A floatable tube and skirt assembly encircling an offshore oil drilling rig for collecting oil released by leakage during the drilling operation, and movable between an operative oil-confining position and an inoperative position in [54] DEVICE FOR CONFINING OIL RELEASED BY LEAKAGE DURING OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING iwing Figs. noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft. The tube is connected to the rig structure by telescopically extensible arms,

[52] 0.8. CI 61/46, there b i (in one embodiment) a plurality of floatable lift 61/l,6l/5 canisters connected to said arms and tube, each canister hav- [51] Int. Cl E02b 17 /00, ing perforated walls and an inner inflatable bag, an air pump E02b 15/04 on the rig being connected to said canisters and said tube.

[50] Field of Search 61/ 1, 5 46, When all the canister bags and the tube are deflated, they will 46.5 sink to an inoperative position, pivotally guided inwardly to that position by said telescopic arms, said arms also serving to [56] References cued guide the tube into its operative floating position. A UNITED STATES PATENTS drawstring arrangement contracts the skirt into compact form 3,029,606 4/1962 Ol en 61/5 against the tube, in noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft.

PATENTED AUBI'HSYI 3,599,434

INVENTOR. Lou/s M/SSUD AT TOE/V5 Y PATENIEU mm 7 am SHEET 2 [IF 2 FIG. 9

INVENTOR.

LOU/S MISSUD Av'TakA/sy DEVICE FOR CONFINING OIL RELEASED BY LEAKAGE DURING OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING OPERATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The Field of the Invention This invention relates to floatable means for collecting and confining oil released by leakage during offshore oil drilling operations.

2. The Known Art There are various expedients for collecting and retaining floating material, such as the use of booms swept over water to collect floating oil and other material, and floatable tanks and the like for storing floating oil. While these methods adequate ly serve the purpose of trapping oil leaking from a ship, they are not suited for the special task of collecting and confining leaking oil from an offshore oil well during a drilling operation, especially where immediacy is of prime importance.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION It is the main object of this invention to enable oil leaking from an offshore well during a drilling operation to be quickly and effectively collected and confined within a limited area for subsequent withdrawal. Further objects are the provision of means l to move the oil-confining device of this invention between an operative position in encircling relation to the drilling rig and an inoperative position, said device being in noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft in both its operative and inoperative positions; (2) to contract said device into compact form when in its inoperative position; (3) to effectively guide said device along predetermined paths between its said operative and inoperative positions; (4) to effect a yieldable connection of said device to the structure of the drilling rig, thereby to permit limited drifting of said device due to wind and water currents, and also to prevent sudden impact forces on the rig structure due to the action of wind and water currents on the device.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a floatable inflatable tube and weighted skirt depending therefrom, the assembly of tube and skirt encircling the entire oil offshore drilling rig to which it is operatively connected, or a selected portion of the rig structure containing the drill shaft. Disposed inwardly of the tube are a plurality of floatable lift canisters each pivotally connected to the tube, each of said canisters also having attached thereto a radially and inwardly extending telescopic arm pivotally connected to a structural part of the rig, such as a column supporting the rig platform, Said arms constitute the main lifting and guiding means for the tube during its movements between its operative and inoperative positions. There are also a pair of auxiliary telescopic arms flanking each of said main telescopic arms and pivotally connected to the arm and the tube.

Each canister has a perforated wall and an inner inflatable bag connected on one side thereof to air pump means on the rig and on the other side, through a spring-loaded one-way valve, to an adjacent part of the tube. When the bag is in deflated condition water enters the canister through said perforations, causing the canister to sink and urge the tube downwardly towards its submerged inoperative position. When the bag is inflated, the expanding bag forces the water out through the perforations, until the bag engages the inner walls of the canister, thereby blocking the perforations. Due to the inflated condition of the bags the canisters will rise to floating positions, urging the tube upwardly towards its floating operative position. When the bag is in its fully inflated condition, the said one-way valve, being preset, will open, and air 9m t e.eeisla ri iimameans.wi met the em infl te it ii fhiibeing iriflated the tube expands outwardly and i moves upwardly-guided by the attached telescopic arms to its operative floating position.

The skirt is connected by a plurality of drawstrings to a winch on the rig platform, so that it can be operatively drawn into folded contracted condition while or before it is being moved to its submerged inoperative position, and released to permit it to fold to its operative position where it constitutes an oil-confining cylindrical wall.

In both its operative and inoperative positions, the assembly of tube and skirt is in encircling relation to the drill shaft, so that it never interferes with the operation of said shaft.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary semischematic elevational view of an apparatus according to one embodiment of this invention for confining oil released by leakage during offshore oil well drilling, a portion of the water being removed for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the rig of the apparatus of FIG. 1 shown encircled by the oil-confining device of this invention in its operative floating position, said device being shown by dot-dash lines in collapsed inoperative position, the said tube and skirt being shown as a section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 3, the as sembly of inflatable tube and depending skirt being shown by broken lines in a laterally shifted position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan of FIG. 2 taken substantially along line 33.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 2 taken substantially along line 4-4, showing a fragment of the tube and skirt in collapsed position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged representation of a portion of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 5 taken substantially along line 66.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the floatable lifting canisters showing fragments of connected parts and showing the inner inflatable bag in collapsed position, a portion of the canister being removed for clarity.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of the oil-confining device of this invention shown in operative relation to an offshore drilling rig, the inflated tube with its skirt being shown in collapsed inoperative position above the surface of the water.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the form of this invention illustrated in FIGS. I to 8 inclusive, the offshore drilling rig 10 is shown in an offshore oil well drilling position, the rig containing the conventional derrick ll, platform 12, columns I3 and revolvable pipe shaft 14 attached at its lowermost point to a drilling bit not shown. The oil-confining device of this invention comprises the inflatable floatable tube 15 supporting the skirt 16 encircling the rig, the skirt being made of flexible or limp material and carrying at the bottom periphery the flexible weighted means 17. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the said skirt and tube are separable along the vertical seam line 18, bands 19 and 20 being applied, respectively, over the seamed edges of the tube 15 and bottom weighted periphery l7 of the said skirt 16 in known manner.

The said skirt I6 has a plurality of sets of vertically aligned loops 2i, and the tube 15 has a plurality of sets of correspondingly positioned loops 22 in spaced circumferential arrangement, there being a corresponding plurality of drawstrings 23 extending through said respective sets of loops 21 and 22, around the respective pulleys 24 attached to adjacent columns 13, and operatively connected to the winch 25 positioned on platform 112. The lowermost end of each of said drawstrings is attached to respective hooks 26 at the weighted lower periphery 117 of the skirt, the arrangement being such that upon an. operative lifting actuation of said winch 2 5 in known manrier 'said skirt 16 Cariube drawh by" said drawstrings into folded, contracted inoperative position, asindicated by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 2, and upon an operative releasing actuation of the winch the skirt will be released and enabled gravitationally to drop to its extended operative position, all in a manner to be fully hereinafter set forth.

Positioned at spaced intervals on said tube 15 are the bands 27, 28, 29 and 30, these bands being so proportioned as to be in firm frictional engagement with the outer surface of said tube when the latter is in its fully inflated position, said bands being unattached to said tube, so that when the latter is in its operatively collapsed position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the tube is loosely positioned within said respective bands. Pivotally attached at 31 to an inner portion of each of said bands is a short arm 32, this being pivotally attached at 33 to the arm 34 affixed to the floatable canister 35, preferably midpoint along its length, thereby providing a universal connection between said canister 35 and the corresponding band. Attached to said canister diametrically opposite to said arm 34 is the plunger 36 which extends into and is telescopically connected to the cylinder 37, the latter being pivotally attached at 38 to the adjacent column 13. The combination of plunger 36 and cylinder 37 constitutes an extensible main lifting and guiding arm extending radially inwardly of the tube and which, together with said floatable canister 35, is effective in lifting and guiding the said floatable tube 15 from its inoperative dotdash line position shown in FIG. 2 along a predetermined path upwardly and outwardly to its operative floating position upon the water. Pivotally attached at 39 and 40 at opposite sides of each of said cylinders 37 are the auxiliary telescopic lifting and guiding arms 41 and 42, respectively, the outer ends of said auxiliary arms being pivotally attached at 43 and 44 to the auxiliary bands 45 and 46, respectively, flanking the corresponding main band (such as 30 in FIG. The operative movement of the main telescopic arms 36, 37, which is along a path in a substantially vertical plane, will operatively carry along said auxiliary telescopic arms 41 and 42, and since said main and said auxiliary arms are of extensible construction, their respective lengths will adjust themselves during their operative movements. In other words, when said floatable tube is in its uppermost position as illustrated in full lines in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the said arms are extended to their full operative lengths; but when the collapsed tube and skirt are in their inoperative position illustrated by dot-dash lines in FIG. 2, said arms are in their adjusted shortened positions for operatively supporting the assembly of tube and skirt in its said inoperative position.

Eachsaid canister 35 contains therein the inflatable bag 47, the opposite end walls 48 and 49 thereof being attached by fittings 50 and 51, respectively, to the respective end walls 52 and 53 of the canister. The said fitting 50 is connected to the air line 54 leading to the air pump 55 mounted on platform 12, the arrangement being such that the operation of said pump 55 will force air into the interior of the bag 47 to inflate it until the lateral wall 47a of the bag is in pressing contact with the lateral wall 56 of the canister 35. Said lateral wall 56 contains a plurality of apertures 57 therein, the arrangement being such that when the said bag 47 is in its collapsed position, as indicated in FIG. 8, water can enter the interior of the canister .through said apertures but when the bag 47 is in its fully inflated position, it will block and close said apertures 57. The said fitting 51 is connected to the preset spring-loaded oneway valve 58 which, in the form illustrated, comprises the port 59, the ball valve 60, the spring 61 and the outlet orifice 62. operatively connected to said orifice 62 is the flexible pipe 63 connected at 64 to the tube 15. Each of said canisters 35 is operatively connected to said air pump 55 and to said tube 15. The valve 58 is so preset that the ball 60 will yieldably seal the orifice 59 while the bag 47 is being expanded by the air from pump 55.

While the bag is expanding, it is forcing water contained within the canister out through said apertures 57. And when m ai qzlatst hws ltflla fit has 7d ifu a d is n firm p5;ssinggngagernentfivitlr;.;the;$lateralwall 5620f? the canister, the canister will have acquired sufficient buoyancy to rise upwardly toward the surface. When a predetermined pressure within the bag is attained, the ball 60 of the valve 58 will be forces outwardly against the spring 61 to permit air to pass through the orifice 62 into pipe 63 and into the tube 15, thereby inflating it. The lifting effect of the inflated canisters 35 and the inflated condition of the tube 15 causes the latter to rise to its operative floating position on the .water. At this point air from the pump 15 can be shut off, either automatically or by manual manipulation, in known manner.

The device is now in operative position encircling the rigl0, the interior 16a of the skirt 16 serving as a large chamber for receiving and confining any oil which may leak out of the well into the water. The oil will rise to an upper level, and can then be readily pumped out.

It is noteworthy that currents of wind or water will not interfere with the oil-confining function of this device, since the said telescopically adjustable arms will yield due to any wing When it is desired to retract the tube and skirt assembly, the

air release valve 65 on the tube is opened--either manually or by any other known means-whereby air from the tube can be discharged therethrough. Each of said canisters 35, besides being connected to said air pump 55, is also connected through said pipe 54 to a suction pump 67 on the platform, whereby air can be withdrawn, in known manner, from said bag 47, causing it to collapse and thereby to permit water to enter the canister through the apertures 57 as above described. Due to the weight of the water in the canisters, they will sink, exerting a downward force upon the tube 15 and thereby helping to expel the air therefrom'The weight of the deflated tube 15 together with the operative sinking of the water-filled canisters 35 will cause the tube and canister to become submerged, moving downwardly and inwardly due to the pivotal guiding action of said telescopic arms. During such action the winch 25 can be set into operation, drawing the skirt upwardly into its folded and contracted position, as hereinabove described.

The final position of the collapsed tube and skirt assembly is below the surface of the water, but still in encircling relation to the rig structure containing the drill shaft 14, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2. It is particularly noteworthy that said drill shaft extends downwardly through the space 16a defined by Y the tube and skirt, so that there can never be any interference whatsoever with the drilling operation when the oil-confining apparatus is in its said inoperative position. I

FIG. 9 illustrates a somewhat modified form of this invention in which the rig 10 is encircled by the oil-confining device containing the inflatable tube 70 and skirt 71, the assembly being collapsible substantially as in the form above described. However, the winch (not shown) is connected to drawstrings 72 adapted to draw the tube-skirt assembly upwardly above the surface of the water into an inoperative position, there being extensible arms 73 directly pivotally connected to the bands 74 through which the said tube 70 extends. Upon an operative release of said drawstrings 72, and by the inflation of the tube 70 by operatively pumping air therein from the air pump 75 through the pipes 76, the tube will be lowered upon the surface of the water, and the skirt 71 will gravitationally fall to its operative position, substantially in the manner above described. I

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein. it is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not ofpracticing san e.

l. A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a-skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said tube and skirt assembly being in encircling relation to a selected portion of said rig containing said drilling shaft, said yieldable connecting means comprising a plurality of separate members disposed inwardly of said tube, and having pivotal means attached to said tube and rig, respectively, said connecting means being of telescopic construction, whereby said tube and skirt assembly can have limited motion relative to said rig and its said drilling shaft.

2. A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said skirt being of flexible material and being operatively movable between an extended operative position and a contracted folded position, said skirt in both of said positions being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft, and actuating means for moving said skirt between both of said positions, said tube and skirt assembly being movable between an operative floating position with said tube on the surface of the water and an inoperative nonfloating position with said tube in spaced relation to said surface, guiding and lifting means pivotally connecting said tube in said rig, said latter means having a plurality of extensible arms pivotally movable in a substantially vertical plane, thereby to guide said assembly of tube and skirt along a predetermined path between said operative and inoperative positions.

3. A device according to claim 2, the said inoperative position of said tube and skirt assembly being below the surface of said water.

4. A device according to claim 2, the said inoperative position of said tube and skirt assembly being above the surface of said water.

5. A device according to claim 2, said inflatable tube having thereon a plurality of bands in circumferential spaced relation, said bands being so proportioned as to be in firm frictional engagement with the outer surface of said tube when it is operatively inflated, and loosely positioned thereover when the tube is in its operatively collapsed position, said bands being pivotally attached to said respective extensible arms.

6. A device according to claim 5, said tube having thereon a plurality of pairs of auxiliary bands flanking said respective first-mentioned bands, each of said extensible arms having pivotally attached thereto at opposite sides thereof a pair of auxiliary arms, the latter being pivotally connected to corresponding ones of said auxiliary bands.

7. A device according to claim 2, said guiding and lifting means having a plurality of floatable lift canisters pivotally connected to said tube and to said extensible arms, each of said canisters having a perforated wall and an inner inflatable bag, air supply means for inflating said bag and said tube, said bag when in an operatively inflated position being in pressing engagement with said perforated wall to block the perforations thereof, whereby the canister with the inflated bag will be buoyant, said bag when in an operatively deflated position being in collapsed condition and out of engagement with said perforated wall, whereby water can enter said canister through said perforated wall to cause the canister to sink to an immersed position and thereby to urge said tube downwardly towards a submerged inoperative position.

8. A device according to claim 7, one portion of said bag being connected to one wall portion of the canister and to said air supply means, another portion of said bag being connected to another wall portion 0 said canister, and conduit means connecting said latter wall portion with said tube, said conduit means connecting said latter wall portion with said tube, said conduit means having therein a one-way valve operatively preset to open at a predetermined pressure within said bag, whereby when said pressure is operatively attained air will flow from said bag into said tube.

9. A device according to claim 7, and suction means operatively connected to said bag for operatively deflating it from an operatively inflated condition to its said collapsed condition. 

1. A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said tube and skirt assembly being in encircling relation to a selected portion of said rig containing said drilling shaft, said yieldable connecting means comprising a plurality of separate members disposed inwardly of said tube, and having pivotal means attached to said tube and rig, respectively, said connecting means being of telescopic construction, whereby said tube and skirt assembly can have limited motion relative to said rig and its said drilling shaft.
 2. A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said skirt being of flexible material and being operatively movable between an extended operative position and a contracted folded position, said skirt in both of said positions being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft, and actuating means for moving said skirt between both of said positions, said tube and skirt assembly being movable between an operative floating position with said tube on the surface of the water and an inoperative nonfloating poSition with said tube in spaced relation to said surface, guiding and lifting means pivotally connecting said tube in said rig, said latter means having a plurality of extensible arms pivotally movable in a substantially vertical plane, thereby to guide said assembly of tube and skirt along a predetermined path between said operative and inoperative positions.
 3. A device according to claim 2, the said inoperative position of said tube and skirt assembly being below the surface of said water.
 4. A device according to claim 2, the said inoperative position of said tube and skirt assembly being above the surface of said water.
 5. A device according to claim 2, said inflatable tube having thereon a plurality of bands in circumferential spaced relation, said bands being so proportioned as to be in firm frictional engagement with the outer surface of said tube when it is operatively inflated, and loosely positioned thereover when the tube is in its operatively collapsed position, said bands being pivotally attached to said respective extensible arms.
 6. A device according to claim 5, said tube having thereon a plurality of pairs of auxiliary bands flanking said respective first-mentioned bands, each of said extensible arms having pivotally attached thereto at opposite sides thereof a pair of auxiliary arms, the latter being pivotally connected to corresponding ones of said auxiliary bands.
 7. A device according to claim 2, said guiding and lifting means having a plurality of floatable lift canisters pivotally connected to said tube and to said extensible arms, each of said canisters having a perforated wall and an inner inflatable bag, air supply means for inflating said bag and said tube, said bag when in an operatively inflated position being in pressing engagement with said perforated wall to block the perforations thereof, whereby the canister with the inflated bag will be buoyant, said bag when in an operatively deflated position being in collapsed condition and out of engagement with said perforated wall, whereby water can enter said canister through said perforated wall to cause the canister to sink to an immersed position and thereby to urge said tube downwardly towards a submerged inoperative position.
 8. A device according to claim 7, one portion of said bag being connected to one wall portion of the canister and to said air supply means, another portion of said bag being connected to another wall portion of said canister, and conduit means connecting said latter wall portion with said tube, said conduit means connecting said latter wall portion with said tube, said conduit means having therein a one-way valve operatively preset to open at a predetermined pressure within said bag, whereby when said pressure is operatively attained air will flow from said bag into said tube.
 9. A device according to claim 7, and suction means operatively connected to said bag for operatively deflating it from an operatively inflated condition to its said collapsed condition. 